Celebrating Friendship!

It is 1:00pm here in New York; 6:00pm in Oxford, England. I meant to write this two hours earlier, but alas that didn't happen.  Something significant happened on May 11, 1926 at 4:00pm in Oxford. Anyone want to guess?

Clive Staples Lewis and John Ronald Reuel Tolkien met for the first time. It was the start to a 40+ year friendship that would span three worlds: Narnia, Middle Earth, and this world (the reality of WW1 and WW2 as the backdrop). There, of course, would be hard times during the decades of their friendship, but there would  also be times of encouragement that would craft a bond too deep to be broken.

It's now officially known as International Inklings Day!
The celebrations and more be found here.

So..what's been going on recently?

     Spring weather has finally arrived here in New York, which is such a blessing! The sun, the birds, and all the lovely spring flowers are peeping out from the dirt...it makes me so happy!
     I have lately been studying for my nursing licensure exam which takes up a lot of time in my day-to-day schedule. But, have no fear, it hasn't stopped me from growing closer to my savior over the past few months. I have no fear of the future, and the Lord has supplied me with peace about this exam and how the results will play out.
     I have recently started going through the book of Isaiah and have learned a lot about God's power, coming judgement, and mercy. The first few chapters talk a lot about the day of judgement and it is summed up well in Isaiah 2:11:

"The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day."

So, be prepared for that day. Follow in Jesus' steps, in humility, as you walk on this earth.

May the Lord bless you in these coming weeks...may he shower you with blessings! Amen.

Hope...

Pastor (Bro.Eddie) with his eldest grandson!

I have to admit it's been quite a week. Last Monday, Februrary 1st, our pastor passed away. My dad and I had been on our way to visit him in the hospital. I remember the shock of the words that I heard. He had a subdural hematoma (a bleed in his brain), which had caused the stroke. He  had been unconscious since Sunday morning (he hadn't even made it to church), but there had still been hope. Hearing that he had died was so...final. He was only 63 years old..too young to die, especially since he wasn't a sickly man.

BUT, it was God's plan, and nothing was ever going to change it. Our pastor had lived a full life, one full of love and giving. He had always worn a smile that was infectious (at least for me it was). I'll never forget the memories I made with him. He was an example to all of us in the congragation of what Christ should look like. His work here on earth was complete, and now he is in heaven with all the other angels rejoicing around our Heavenly Fathers throne.

"Fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you, 

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

- Isaiah 41:10

The Song of Praise..

And Mary said, 

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. 

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 

for he who is mighty has done great things for me, 

and holy is his name. 

And his mercy is for those who fear him 

from generation to generation. 

He has shown strength with his arm; 

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones 

and exalted those of humble estate; 

he has filled the hungry with good things, 

and the rich he has sent away empty. 

He has helped his servant Israel, 

in remembrance of his mercy, 

as he spoke to our fathers, 

to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Luke 1:46-55, ESV.

A long-awaited update..

     It's been a while since I have posted. It was a very busy last semester of undergraduate classes at college. I had my nursing capstone class which was when I got work alongside a nurse and get a feel for my upcoming career. It was all very exciting. No finals this semster as I only had one other class. Another thing that happened was a new friendship with a wonderful young lady who is a child of God as well. It has been such a blessing to me.

     Since the first of December I have been doing a devotional that was written by Ann Voskamp (and in case you don't know who that is, just look her up by clicking here).  It has been a lovely study and such a joy to unwrap God's greatest gift for us.  The tree is up and decorated. We light delicious smelling candles up every night, all around the house.  It has been a great start to the Christmas/Advent season.

My journey SOUTH.

     It was the first time I had been below the equator...in the southern hemisphere. It was full of new sights, new friends, and new experiences. That remarkable journey took place five months ago, during their winter, in a place called South Africa.
     I didn't just sign up to go on this adventure randomly though, it all started back home, in the small church that I have been going to for all my life. My cousin, Sara, had taken a church group two summers ago and she was offering to go with another group. So, a few months later, after a good amount of praying, me and my twin sister and a bunch of friends boarded a 20-something hour flight to the country of South Africa (with a delightful stop in Heathrow, London airport).
     There are many delightful memories that were made in the two weeks we spent there. I couldn't possibly write about all of them. I met children that made me laugh, care workers who told uplifting tales, and other missionaries who made me feel right at home who had a bottomless supply of love.
     During the trip we had some oppurtunities to walk to some of the childrens' homes, they were called Holy Home Visits. We would have a chance to pray with the family and they would tell us a bit about what they were going through.  Me and a friend, Diana, and the pastor of my church were able to visit a mother who had two young sons. she had a few odd jobs that she did, but nothing that was regularly supplying her with money. The family lives on a rented piece of land, with a shack as their home. The father of the two boys was a logger, and had abandoned his family. In South Africa if there is no supporter then you get a set amount of money to help with school costs and food. The man who owned the property would recieve the money, take the rental money out of it, and then pass the rest to the family (which at that point wasn't that much).
During this conversation the mother told one of the boys to get some drink for us. The older boy, Prince, ran into the shack and came out with three tall glasses and a tall bottle of soda. I remember being so touched by this selfless act. The family has so little, but was willing to give up their soda, to complete strangers. We said our thanks and drank up. Needless to say, it was the best soda I'd ever tasted. We walked the kids to  the care point after that and we all sang on our way. It was great to see the boys were so happy. That memory will always stick with me. Period.
     If there are any other questions, or more stories that you want to hear, you can leave a comment below. You could leave a comment just for fun too. You just had to be there to experience everything that happened to all of us. It was definitely a life-changing experience for me, and I'm sure for the others also.

Not A Fan.

   This morning, through some God-planned events, I was able to drive our blue Hyundai to the hospital I volunteer at.  I usually have to drive our older Corolla, which isn't a bad car (I actually like the car a lot), but it's just nice to drive a newer car once in while. Anyway, I had my Ipod connected through bluetooth and was listening to Not A Fan written by Kyle Idleman.  On the way I had heard some things that impressed me, so before I entered the hospital I had to jot down those thoughts so I could tell you guys about them.  

   Kyle was talking about denying ourselves for Christ, complete surrender. He went on to explain the definition behind the phrase "Lord, Lord" in the New Testament.  In the new testament "Lord, Lord" does not mean Yahweh (Jehovah), instead it translates to a word: Kyrios. This Greek word Kyrios translates to - the owner; one who has control of the person, the master.  Then he introduced a second Greek word, which to some can be a complete letdown. it's Doulos, a word which translates to - a slave, a bondman, man of servile condition.  

   He talked specifically about being a bond-slave, which means that even after the slave was publicly freed, he/she would continue working for that same master (Deuteronomy 15:12-18).  That's how we should serve Jesus, voluntarily, out of complete love for our Saviour who died for us. He doesn't want fans or halfhearted followers; the only thing Jesus wants are committed followers that love him as deeply as he loves them.  

   I'm so glad that I was able to read this book and I know I will be reading more of Kyle's books in the future. Thanks for reading this post, it is such a blessing when I get feedback.  I will be praying for you and I hope you FOLLOW Christ with all your heart!

I'm still here...

     It's an absolutely gorgeous day outside today.  The sun is shining, the birds are singing their praises to the creators, and the grass feels just right under my bare toes as I drag the watering hose around our spacious backyard to water all the flowers.  There is a peace that surrounds me, even while the neighbors dog barks indefinitely.  

     All the worrying we do in our lives, really doesn't do anything.  I know that all my worrying just makes me more uncertain and produces a cloud that masks the Lords reassurance.  This peace, from my Lord, makes me lighthearted, and whispers softly "everything will be fine and go ust according to plan."  It makes me smile.  I silently thank Jesus that he has everything under control.  

     I'll be leaving for South Africa in twelve days...it came up even faster than I thought it would.  I remember saying that "I would love to go" and now it will finally happen.  It's exciting to think about it and I can't wait (as you could probably tell that isn't what's troubling me).  There will be people to meet and love and tell about me precious Lord.  We (the group) will see things we've never seen before and experience new things and make "forever memories." 

     The experience that I'm worrried about is the last semester of my senior year in Nursing School. I will be preceptoring with a nurse, during a regular twelve hour shift and at a hospital I may be unfamiliar with.  I know I will get through it and God will be a friend and guide, but there is still a part of me that worries...a purely human emotion.

     I will just keep praying for this peace and joy...and I'd love it if you would to, because everyone could use a bit of peace in their busy lives.

This New Year..

This year I didn't make any New Year Resolutions, which may sound a bit weird to most people.

I did make a commitment to read the complete bible in one year though. I own an iPod touch which is handy and I downloaded an app (that just happened to be a recommendation apple gave me) called She Reads Truth. There is also a website: shereadstruth.com.

It is a community of women committed to drawing closer to Jesus by seeking his face. It started small in 2012 and in 2014 it became more official (and even has an app now). There are a multitude of devotional plans that go through various books of the bible (James, John, Hosea, etc) and various holiday themed plans (lent, advent, thanksgiving, etc.).

This January they released a 2015 Bible-In-A-Year plan, which got me interested. I prayed and God led me to travel with him through his entire word this year, which I am sooo thrilled about. It's been an amazing time so far and I've learned so much already. I look forward to reading God's word every day.

In addition to reading the bible in a year they do a daily plan and right now we are going through the book of Esther. There are small readings to do along with the bible passage and you can even comment in addition.  You should defintely check it out for yourself! May the lord bless you in this coming year.

On God's Shoulders

Just an amazing song that's been in my head for the past few weeks.

The chorus is below..in case you feel the need to sing along,..

My help comes from You
You're right here, pulling me through
You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on Your shoulders 
Your shoulders
My help comes from You
You are my rest, my rescue
I don't have to see to believe that You're lifting me up on Your shoulders 
Your shoulders

Humility of Total Devotion

      This past Christmas season passed so quickly because of all the joy I experienced with the family, but I'm still quite determined to write a post for the month of December before time runs out.  I know there were some cousins and aunts/uncles wondering about me updating my blog, so here goes nothing!
      I was especially blessed this past Christmas by Mary's humility and grace in which she took the news that she, a virgin, would bear a son, quite unexpectedly and miraculously.  I was especially curious of how she viewed herself compared to God.  First, lets look at a part the conversation that the angel had with her...(Luke 1:34-38)

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

For with God nothing shall be impossible. 

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

      Two miracles were occurring at the same time which must have filled Mary with awe and wonder at the same time.  That last phrase that the angel said to her "For with God nothing shall be impossible" must have quieted all her fears and doubt.  Then in her humility she surrendered to God's will completely.  She referred to herself as his handmaiden.

(this is where the fun begins)

      I was curious as to what she meant when she called herself that, so I looked it up in the Interlinear which shows the original Greek translation.  The Greek word for Handmaid is DOULE. Doule is a femine noun which translates to (1) a female slave or (2) bondmaid.  The male noun, which is from the same root noun, means (1) a slave, and (2) devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests.  I love that last definition; it sums up Mary's intent so fully. She was devoting herself completely to God and (with God's help) disregarding the human nature to be terrified.  She called herself his slave/servant as a way of showing her complete devotion and surrender.  That was her humility in it's full and most precious form.  And because of her unwavering devotion she gave birth to God's own son, Jesus.

God Bless you all in the New Year and may we come before God with Humility of Total Devotion!

     

A musing for a rainy day...

My most recent iPod lock screen background.
I can take a breath and repeat the beautiful words to myself.
To be still..to take it all in in those few seconds.
The JOY and PEACE.
And to know that without a doubt: He Is God.
The only God in my short life.
How amazing to know and believe.
It's pure love and devotion; to "Be still and know that He is God"
And that is what I want my life to be..Love for Him.

From David Wilkerson, to you.

I don't think this needs any explaining. 

David Wilkerson says it as it needs to be heard.

Faithfully yours...

Tonight I saw a shooting star 

Made me wonder where you are 
For years I have been dreaming of you 
And I wonder if you're thinking of me too 
In this world of cheap romance 
And love that only fades after the dance 
They say that I'm a fool to wait for something more 
How can I really love someone I've never seen before 
But I have longed for true love every day that I have lived 
And I know that real love is all about learning how to give 
So I pray that god will bring you to me 
And I pray you'll find me waiting faithfully 

Faithfully, I am yours 
From now until forever 
Faithfully, I will write 
Write you a love song with my life 
Cause this kind of loves worth waiting for 
No matter how long it takes I am yours 
Faithfully 

Tonight I saw two lovers kiss 
Reminded me of my own loneliness 
They say that I'm a fool to keep on praying for you 
How can I give up pleasure for a dream that won't come true 
But I will keep believing that god still has a plan 
And though I can't see you now, 
I know that he can 
And someday I will give you all of me 
Until I find you, I'll be waiting faithfully 

Faithfully, I am yours 
From now until forever 
Faithfully, I will write 
Write you a love song with my life 
Cause this kind of loves worth waiting for 
No matter how long it takes I am yours 
Faithfully

~ This song has been a favorite of mine since I first listened to it. The message that is spoken is true in my life; I do love my husband with all my heart! There is a wedding version (with slight lyric changes of course) that I would love played at my wedding. ~ 

Ever Ready...like a Captive Lion.

Last weekend I had a block of free time on Saturday afternoon on the way home from some October farm-stand-shopping.  I decided to plug in my headphones and listen to a sermon by Eric Ludy (of course).  It was called Captive Lions: a study in Cheerful Giving, a bit of a peculiar sermon title (don't ya think?).  But maybe it was that title that drew me to listen to it.  I'm not going to write everything that was said, just some of the points that I took from it.  

1.  A captive lion is never content to stay in the cage that its captives have put it in.  The lion will try with all its might to get out (restless, eager, persistent).  When that cage is opened the lion will spring from the cage (hastening, happily, confidently).  We are to be as this lion when we give,  When God tells us to give we are to be obedient and do it without complaint, right away, as ready as the lion is to spring out of the cage, with smiling eagerness (2 Corinthian 9:6-8)

2. Then Eric went on to talk about how some people would worry about giving so much as to have only a little for themselves left.  God is our provider, NOT this worlds economy.  Our confidence does not lay in this world, but in Jesus who gives us EVERYTHING that we have.  He gave an example which he calls The Aquifer Principle.  There is a small puddle that you see and when you have emptied that puddle, more water bubbles up from underneath the ground to refill that puddle (the aquifer underneath has a never ending supply of water).  So, we do not have an reason to doubt God's provision because there is no end to God or his faithfulness.  We can count on him 100% of the time.

3.  He then talked about the 10 virgins (Matthew 25) and how we should always be ready to give cheerfully.  When God commands us we should be ever ready, like the five wise virgins.  To make the point more memorable (or more important?) he added a Greek word to this point (he does that a lot in his sermons and I happen to enjoy learning them, so you'll have to deal with it for now).  The word was Prosdechomai (the definition to the right) which summed it all up in one word.

These were the main points that I took from it, and I'm sure you all want to listen, right? 

Well, here is the link if you'd like to: http://ellerslie.com/sermons/eric-ludy/2-10-13/captive-lions

May God bless you all, till I post again...

Fixing our eyes on HIM.

Maybe you've allowed some distractions in your life that have caused your relationship with Jesus to become more of  an obligation and less of a joy. Just as a young bride fixes her eyes on her husband, so freshly set your affections and gaze upon Him. Come with the eagerness of a bride to meet with Him in and through His Word. This is precisely what Paul was pointing us to when he commissioned the Colossian church with these words, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Col 2:2

An Update (FINALLY!)

The past few months have been busy and my apologies for not posting in a very long time.  After I finished up the previous semester of college all I wanted was a rest from the busy schedule of life.  Me and my family flew down to Orlando, Florida and spent a week in Disney World.  It was my first time there and I loved it.  Three weeks later my sister, brother, and myself packed up suitcases once again and drove north to Brant Lake, NY where we worked for two weeks in Pilgrim Camp.  I was a counselor of eight eleven year-olds, which is not at all relaxing, especially when they never stop talking (it was a good thing and a bad thing).  Then there was the youth retreat which was a blessing and relaxing (Yes, finally!).  I was touched by a song we sang at the youth retreat called "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" written by Hillsong United.  You can find real rest and peace in Jesus alone, wherever you are or whatever you're doing.

The words to the song "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

A re-post of a some other posts...

All day I had been wondering about what to post, and then it hit me! 

I decided to make a list of some posts that I have recently read, and then share them with you.

You could read them all at once or one every day or not at all (but then there's no learning which is not cool)

1 - Why Not Pursue Him? (loved this because I believe that young men should be initiators and leaders in relationships, yep that's a lot of pressure) = http://www.truewoman.com/?id=1639

2 - Potential Boyfriend or Forever Brother?? = http://paulawrites.com/2014/03/11/potential-boyfriend-or-forever-brother/

3 - Self-esteem VS. Christ-esteem (written by lovely Leslie Ludy) = http://setapartgirl.com/leslie-ludy/blog/04-14-14/self-esteem-vs-christ-esteem 

4 - True Wisdom  = http://setapartgirl.com/devotional/04-12-14/true-wisdom

5 - How will He notice me if I Don't flirt? = http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=2225

6 - Idle Chatter VS. Godly Edification = http://setapartgirl.com/leslie-ludy/blog/04-22-14/idle-chatter-vs-godly-edification

I really hope you enjoy these posts..God Bless you all!

(I will write my own post when college classes finish..pray for me on upcoming finals)

Immense Loss, but Hope...

     I haven't written a post in quite some time and originally I thought this post would be on some really awesome athletes from the USA Olympic team, but apparently that won't happen right now. This past week something happened that I feel is way more important than any sports competition.

Sophia + Elise

     I know two of the members from the Smithe family from Google+ and so, when I started using Facebook I naturally "friended" them there. Last week there had been lots of posts from the family because of the wedding of Sophia. On Monday the much-anticipated photos started appearing. The smiles and joy from the bride and groom was contagious. I was happy for the whole event. The wedding party pictures were fun to look at, seeing the flower girls and children so excited. 

Sophia + Enoch

     But, as I was looking at those pictures on Monday night, somewhere else, the Einwechter Family was driving home and was involved in a tragic car accident (the car slipped into a pond on a farm). The only girl Elise (pictured with Sophia to the left) was killed in the accident. The youngest son Enoch (pictured with Sophia below) died in the CCU on Wednesday, who was just a few months old. 

     Even though I don't know the family personally, I felt sadness for them. I can't imagine the pain that they are going through. I believe that losing two children would be an immense loss, and even worse for such little children. My prayers continue to flow for the family and those who personally knew them. There is a website that has been started in case you'd like to help them financially or just to offer prayers or hope: http://eliseandenoch.org/. More information will be released later about the actual car accident, which I'll be posting later on, on Facebook.
   

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, 

who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

The Einwechter Family

I BELIEVE, do you?

It's a powerful song that has been playing on Klove a lot recently.
It gets right to the heart of Christianity...what we believe in.
I know the lyrics almost by-heart while singing along with the Newsboys.
Sometimes we need to be reminded about the great basis of our relationship with Jesus!
Even in the hard times we need to be reminded about what we know for a fact.
Now..do YOU believe??